 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Wednesday, March 10th
|
|
|
|
 |
| |
| Movie Forums :: Reviews :: Orange County: Fresh Glee, Squeezed |
|
Posted on 1/24/02
Orange County: Fresh Glee, Squeezed
| Sponsored Links |
|
|
|
|
| Rating... |
|
| Poster |
|
|
Alright alright, I'll say it right now - this one is worth the ticket if you are: young at heart, open-minded, and willing to let go. This is not a deep film, yet it's got a simple story we can all relate to - and because of this, it isn't entirely useless. I have to admit it right up front - my own personal story fits extremely closely to that of the protagonist, so in a way, it was destined that I see it - and enjoy it. This is a film about a young high school hopeful with great grades and a good head on his shoulders who realizes what he wants to do with his life. He wants to be a writer, and inspired by a chance encounter with the fiction work of a Stanford professor, he sets his sights on getting into that illustrious Northern California institution. The problem is, it seems all the chips are stacked against him as he tries to get to his destination.
Shaun Brumder (Colin Hanks) is the ill-fated teen in question, who is the rarest of characters within a teen flick - he is not only smart, but apparently talented, and not only that, he's actually fun to hang out with. He has discovered the almighty balance of popular nerdism, a rare feat, but one which I can say with first-hand knowledge is practiced with great skill at the university Shaun sets his sights on. However, Shaun is cursed with a less than desirable family - drunken mother Cindy (Catherine O'Hara), estranged workaholic father Bud (John Lithgow), wheelchair-bound stepfather Bob (George Murdock), and his infamously embarrassing drug-addled brother, Lance (Jack Black). In the world of Orange County, a Southern California nouveau riche paradise, superficiality reigns supreme and Shaun has woken up from the dream and found himself surrounded by what he believes is a world that will hold him back from his dreams or, worse, make him as useless and superficial as all the rest.
Shaun's only respite comes in the form of Ashley (Schuyler Fisk), an earnest girl with big dreams who seems to toe the line for Shaun. He cannot tell if her support is sincere, yet she remains his stalwart and most understanding supporter. Beyond that is the question of her desire, and everyone else's, to remain in Orange County while Shaun leaves all those he loves behind for a dream of bigger and supposedly better things. The laughs come when Shaun's every attempt to actually get into Stanford is botched or sabotaged in some lame-brain or clueless way that stems from what Orange County is and what Shaun wishes he could get away from.
The laughs are pretty good, actually, and I was never really disgusted. I had some pleasant "eww" shocks and a few "oh my god, no he didn't!" cries and overall pretty much enjoyed the ride. Hank's put-upon state is believable; Fisk is basically a hyper, loving teen chick (not hard, kids); and Jack Black is not too over the top but just right in all the madness he instigates. John Lithgow and Catherine O'Hara are of course beyond reproach, managing to present themselves as the most beautiful dysfunctional couple ever.
The moral the film ends up delivering is one I can't reveal (or it would ruin your anticipation of the ending) but, I can say I disagree and you really can bend it anyway you choose - depending on what kind of "happy" ending you're looking for. As for facts - this wasn't filmed in Orange County, though according to a friend who can claim it as his birthplace, it was filmed in Diamond Bar, which is technically outside - but very close - to Orange County. And I can say that it certainly wasn't filmed at Stanford (the landscaped cacti kinda gave it away) but they made a nice attempt with the California Mission architecture. And they most certainly have the personal character of the natives down to a T.
If I offended any Stanfordians with this review - tough!
» Latest Reviews
» More Reviews in "Comedies"
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
